Hudson Institute Events Podcast

President Donald Trump has invited Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to the White House for a landmark summit aimed at ending decades of hostility. The leaders are expected to sign key agreements to establish lasting peace between their long-divided nations. Research Fellow Zineb Riboua will moderate a conversation on the potential implications of this historic accord with Senior Fellow Michael Doran and Damjan Krnjević Mišković, professor of practice at Azerbaijan’s ADA University and editor of the policy journal Baku Dialogues.

Peru is undergoing one of the most volatile political periods in its democratic history. President Dina Boluarte’s deeply unpopular administration faces compounding crises, from institutional paralysis to rising insecurity, that are testing the strength of Peru’s democratic foundations.Despite this turmoil, Peru’s economy is outperforming the region. Aided by high commodity prices and the world’s second-largest copper reserves, the country remains a key player in global supply chains.Now, Peru sits at the center of concerns over China’s growing presence in Latin America. The $3.5 billion Chancay megaport—Beijing’s most ambitious infrastructure project in the region—threatens to reshape South American trade flows and could give China new levers of political influence. Join Hudson Adjunct Fellow Daniel Batlle and a panel of leading analysts as they examine what lies ahead for Peru and whether the country can convert its economic potential into lasting security and sovereignty ahead of its 2026 elections.

Christian Lee, a retired U.S. Coast Guard Captain, discusses reviving shipbuilding to enhance maritime security alongside industry leaders like Larry Ryder from Austell USA and Mike Smith from Hanwha Defense. They explore the urgent need for investment and collaboration to modernize the Coast Guard and Navy fleets. Austin Gray delves into the future of uncrewed vessels, while Matt Paxton emphasizes the importance of addressing workforce shortages. Together, they tackle the challenges posed by international competition and the critical role of the Jones Act in supporting U.S. maritime capabilities.

Johnnie Moore, President of the Congress of Christian Leaders and founder of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, shares insights on the complexities of delivering aid in Gaza amid political turmoil and misinformation. He discusses the critical need for innovative aid mechanisms to ensure assistance reaches civilians directly and critiques the UN's role in the distribution process. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by humanitarian organizations against a backdrop of media manipulation and ongoing conflict, emphasizing the importance of transparency in the aid narrative.

Iran has entered a new phase of strategic uncertainty after successful Israeli and American military operations dismantled the Islamic Republic’s nuclear infrastructure, fractured its proxy network, and significantly weakened its position in the region.Senior Fellows Michael Doran, Bryan Clark, and Can Kasapoğlu will explore the implications of this shift for the United States, Israel, and their partners and discuss how Iran might respond.

The United States and Canada are at an impasse on trade. Amid rising trade tensions, former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney rode a wave of nationalism to the Canadian premiership, with promises of “standing up for Canada” and “ensuring a good deal” for the country. Meanwhile, many in Washington believe Canada needs the US more than the US needs Canada. But is that assumption accurate? Are policies that encourage Canadian nationalism the only viable response?A new report from the Center for North American Prosperity and Security (CNAPS), The Grand Bargain: The Path to Prosperity, Security and Strength, proposes a broader framework. Rather than focusing narrowly on tariffs, the report recommends expanding talks to include critical minerals, metals, and energy. It also urges the two countries to resolve lingering issues, from military burden-sharing to border enforcement.Join Hudson Senior Fellow Matt Boyse for a discussion with former Canadian Minister for Trade and Economic Development Ed Fast and CNAPS Executive Director Jamie Tronnes, as they explore a new path forward for US-Canada relations and what other allies can learn from the process.

Major General David Petraeus, former CIA director and military strategist, shares insights on how Taiwan can glean crucial lessons from Ukraine's battlefield experience. He emphasizes innovative military strategies, the importance of deterrence, and enhancing defense capabilities against a larger adversary. Petraeus discusses connectivity challenges and the need for robust communication infrastructure amid geopolitical tensions. The podcast also explores the complexities of U.S.-China relations and the necessity for Taiwan to adapt to evolving threats in international security.

Senior Fellow and Director of Hudson Institute’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East Michael Doran, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs President Dan Diker, and Center for Security Policy Senior Analyst David Wurmser will discuss the shifting dynamics in the Middle East following the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in an event moderated by Research Fellow Zineb Riboua. They will examine how Israel’s decision to act independently has impacted its relationship with the United States, what the war’s outcome signals for Iran’s regional ambitions, and how key players like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Syria are recalibrating in its aftermath. 

As reports emerge of widespread starvation in Gaza and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steven Witkoff works to negotiate the creation of a humanitarian corridor, Nina Shea will interview Reverend Johnnie Moore, the executive chairman of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The foundation, backed by both Israel and the United States, has been distributing food aid to Gazans since May. Notably, GHF staff have denied the media narrative that Israeli Defense Forces personnel have killed Gazans seeking aid at its distribution points.The interview will examine GHF’s accomplishments and the immense challenges it faces in providing aid to two million people in an active war zone. Reverend Moore will also discuss how the GHF can help distribute UN food aid that is currently sequestered in trucks inside the Gaza Strip—a request that the secretary general and his deputy at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have thus far ignored.

Despite more than a decade of reforms to the United States Department of Defense’s acquisition processes, the Pentagon still struggles to field systems that take advantage of new technologies at the pace and scale routinely seen in commercial products and services. Procurement officials have sought to improve results within the current framework. But the DoD budgeting process often hinders their ability to reallocate funding from failing programs to those that address real operational problems.Fielding capabilities via services contracts is not a comprehensive solution to systemic acquisition practices. But it would circumvent bureaucratic roadblocks and deliver innovative technologies to warfighters more quickly. Buying capabilities as a service can enable the co-evolution of technology and tactics, helping commanders develop adequate solutions to their operational problems and make continued improvements to fielded capabilities.Join Hudson Senior Fellow Bryan Clark, Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA), General Mike Minihan (US Air Force, Ret.), and experts from the defense industry for a series of discussions examining the challenges and opportunities the Pentagon may face when adopting a services model to meet urgent capability needs.